


The Champion's Champion

by Lit_Cinnabun



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-04
Updated: 2017-05-04
Packaged: 2018-10-28 02:25:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10821801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lit_Cinnabun/pseuds/Lit_Cinnabun
Summary: (THERE WILL BE SPOILERS) Rosalinora is a goddess in mortal form, sent to help her celestial sister's descendant and her appointed knight in staving off the Great Calamity. Neither Zelda nor Link know that she is pregnant, despite the imminent danger all four are in.





	The Champion's Champion

**Author's Note:**

> Ok so this is an idea that started as a one-shot and grew to something so much bigger than that. Hope you like it! ^_^
> 
> Btw yes I am aware that she cries a lot

Rosalinora looked from the other princess to her knight, then up at the four leviathan weapons. The swirling monster had already appeared outside the castle town, and she and the other champions had made it to their battle stations as quickly as they could.

She only hoped that they had been fast enough.

Someone reached out and grabbed her hand, and she looked over at her husband.

"Will you be alright, my love?" He asked, softly kissing her knuckles.

"I'm a trained warrior. Of course I will." They smiled at each other. "Will you?"

"Without a doubt. The Zoras are more than capable of protecting me. I, of all people, should know." He smirked at his own joke, and Rosalinora playfully shoved him.

"Roh, what will I ever do with you?"

"Your Majesty," Link interrupted, looking at her from the back of his horse. In his free hand, he held the reins of Rosalinora's own black horse, Quimico.

Rosalinora looked up at Princess Zelda, anxious. "Is it time already?"

"Your Grace, the Calamity is fast approaching. We must be ready."

She looked back to her husband, wiping her tears as they embraced. "I'll see you soon, sa'buzutzi."

"I know you will, sa'mewadala." He stepped back and tapped a location on his sheikah slate. He waved at his wife as blue light engulfed him before he vanished.

Rosalinora smiled again, mounting her horse. "Are you alright, Link?" She inquired of the knight, and he nodded. "Are you ready?"

"No," He replied. "I don't think I could ever be ready."

"Don't worry. Just focus on protecting your ward, and I'll focus on protecting mine." She smiled at him. "Just think back to Hateno village. We'll be home soon, I promise." She turned to Zelda. "How much time do we have, do you think?"

"Not much." The princesses smiled at each other, both knowing the odds of them actually being able to go back to their normal lives when the battle was over. They looked towards the gates as a loud bang came from the other side. Rosalinora grabbed her bow and an arrow, slowly pulling it back in anticipation. She looked back at the autonomous guardians behind her. They shuddered as there was another crash at the gate.

"Wait," She mused slowly, "The Calamity doesn't have a physical form."

It took a moment for this to sink in for Link and Zelda.

"Everybody, get back!" Rosalinora commanded, shouting over the ruckus. All the townspeople screamed, scrambling over each other to try to get to their houses as the gate broke down. Guardians poured into the town, glowing bright red instead of their normal blue. She looked from Zelda to Link, making sure they were unharmed. With sudden realization, she looked over up at the divine beasts. The first one she saw was Vah Ruta, the elephant from the Zora's domain. It shuddered, and the lights flashed. "Mipha," Rosalinora breathed, barely even whispering. She turned to Zelda, who nodded at her.

"Do what you need to."

"I can take care of myself, you go take care of the champions," Link reassured.

Rosalinora nodded, pulling out her sheikah slate. She opened her map and tapped on the symbol for Vah Ruta, then affirmed that yes, she did want to teleport. She landed on the waypoint, drawing an arrow back.

"Mipha!" She yelled over the distressed trumpeting of the beast.

"Nora!" The soft-voiced Zora princess screamed back from the control module. "Nora, help me!"

Rosalinora began sprinting, using whatever water she could to push herself up and towards her cousin, completely bypassing the terminals. "Mipha!" She dashed into the main control room, but skidded to a stop at the sight of the monstrosity before her. Mipha lay on the ground, her blue scarf slowly turning red, stained by the bloody water. Rosalinora rushed to Mipha's side, creating a large bubble of water around them and freezing it before the large blight could finish Mipha off. She picked up the dying princess and cradled her head on her lap.

"N-nora?"

"I'm here. Can you heal yourself?"

"I already did." Mipha struggled, trying to breathe.

"Hold on, let me try." Rosalinora placed her slightly webbed hand over Mipha's gaping wound, but she grabbed her wrist and pushed it away.

"Save your power. You're going to need it."

Rosalinora nodded, wiping a tear from her eyes. "I'll tell Sidon and your father you fought well."

"Did I fight well, Nora?" Mipha asked, smiling softly. She wiped another stray tear from Rosalinora's face.

"You fought very well. Link will be proud."

Mipha laughed softly, fading fast. She coughed, and Rosalinora held on to her hand, holding it against her face as Mipha struggled more. "Go. The rest of the champions are in danger and need your help. I'll keep fighting, even when I'm gone." She gasped, coughing again. "I p-promise."

"I know you will." Rosalinora picked up the princess, blinking back tears as Mipha's final breath left her. She gave the waterblight facsimile of the Calamity a death glare as she teleported to a hill, where she gently laid Mipha down, then teleported to Vah Rudania.

"Daruk!" She yelled, wiping the blood, sweat, and tears out of her eyes.

"Hold on, I'll be with you in a moment!" He grunted, and she heard clanging coming from his control module.

There's still time, She thought, dashing to his side. A nearly identical calamitous creature stood between her and Daruk, who was holding the creature back.

"Hey, ugly! Over here!" Rosalinora shouted, banging her bow on the inner wall of Vah Rudania. Fireblight Ganon quickly turned its head towards her, and Daruk took his chance to inflict damage.

"Nice one, Gracie," He grunted, grinning at her as she climbed onto the blight's back, trying to stab it in the eye with her guardian dagger. "How are the other champions holding up?"

"Mipha's dead, and I don't know about Revali or Urbosa."

"You have my condolences. She was a wonderful champion." He caught her as Fireblight threw her off of its back.

"Thank you. When this is over, I'd like your help reclaiming Vah Ruta."

"It'd be an honor, Your Grace." He set her down and blocked a blow. "Go check the others, I'm sure they need your help more than I do. Especially Revali."

Rosalinora nodded. "I'll be back, I promise." She teleported to Vah Medoh, the giant eagle Beast. "Revali!"

"Red, what's happening? What happened to Mipha?"

"No time! Get out of here, now!" She raced to the control module, fighting with the wind. She looked up at the module as Revali began running, only to be cut off by the appearance of a wind blight.

"Teleport, Feathers!"

She saw him duck and rush to the controls, avoiding the blight's projectiles. "Is that any way to speak to your uncle-in-law?"

She ran up to the module and got the attention of the blight. "It would be if you weren't such a pretentious bastard," She teased.

"You know you love me," He replied, then banged his fists on the control module. "It's jammed, I'm gonna need another way out."

"Then help me kick this thing's arse."

"Language, Red."

Rosalinora heard the whistling of an arrow, and, in a split second, crouched down and leaned backwards, watching the arrow fly over her head.

"Sweet moves, kid." Revali smirked at her, still holding his bow.

"Thanks." She popped back up, backflipped over to Revali, and pulled him down as they were both shot at. "You alright?"

"I'm fantastic. You?"

"Could be better. No big deal."

Revali hoisted her onto his back and began flying out of the control room. "Thank goodness you're light."

"I think you got me and Roh mixed up again."

They both laughed tensely, but Revali's was cut off. He gasped in pain.

"What happened?"

"I think I was shot."

"Go back. I can't teleport if we're in midair." She pulled bandages out of a bag hanging from her shoulder. "Where were you hit?"

"It got my chest." He panted, trying to breathe, then coughed up something red. They nearly crash-landed on Vah Medoh. She held on to him, then teleported to the hill where she dropped off Mipha. He looked over at the dead princess, then back up as the sky, gasping for breath. "Oh, goddess." He looked back over at her. "Mipha..."

"Don't think about that. You're going to be fine, Feathers."

They both looked up as Vah Medoh screeched loudly and was overcame by Wind Blight Ganon.

"Red...Red, I'm so sorry. I didn't finish my task." Revali blinked back his tears, swallowing hard.

"Shh. You did the best you could." She placed her cool hand on his forehead.

"Please, let me stay behind. I need to prove that I...that the Rito aren't just...I need to...." A single tear fell as he pleaded with her. "Please."

"Of course you can." She smiled. "I'll tell your tribe how incredible you were up there. They'll be so much more proud of you."

"Tell Roh. I don't care as much about my tribe. Just tell my nephew." He looked at her stomach. "And tell your child."

"How did you know?" She looked at him, taken aback.

"Little hints. Subconscious shielding. Does the Hylian champion know?"

"Does he need to?" Rosalinora looked nervously up at the other beasts, which were still blue.

"No, but it would get you out of these dangerous situations."

"I'll...we'll be fine. Don't worry about us."

"Alright. Do the other two need your help?" Revali smiled at her.

"Possibly."

He sat up and hugged her. "Then go. I'll be fine until you return."

She hugged him back and set him down as gently as she could. "Alright. I'll try to hurry." She looked down at her now-stained armor and sighed. "Hold on, Feathers." She smiled reassuringly, then teleported to Vah Nabooris.  
  
"Urbosa!"

"Took you long enough, vehvi!" Urbosa replied, from within the control module. "I saw what happened to the others. You do not need to tell me my risks."

"I know, ésha, but-" Rosalinora gasped in surprise as she came across Thunderblight. "Great goddesses!"

"Don't profane your status like that, ésha," Urbosa teased, bringing a lightning bolt down as the blight raised its scimitar. It collapsed, and the women charged at it before it could rise up. Rosalinora slashed at it with her arrows while Urbosa assaulted it with small bursts of electricity, which were heightened by the water Rosalinora splashed. The blight shuddered, and was still.

"Are you well?" Urbosa asked, inspecting the much-shorter Gerudo, who stepped over the Thunderblight to stand in front of her half-sister. "You have a great bit of blood on you."

"I'm uninjured," Rosalinora affirmed. "And so is the child."

"Let me see." The older woman placed her hand over the lower half of Rosalinora's torso. "Yes, there is still a heartbeat. That is good." She pulled back. "Do you know if...will it be...?"

"I don't know if my heritage will affect the gender. And I'm not entirely sure what race they'll look the most like, but I'm guessing either Hylian or Gerudo."

Urbosa crossed her arms. "Guessing...or hoping?" Rosalinora opened her mouth to respond, but Urbosa pulled her out of the way, shouting, "Look out!"

Rosalinora stood in shock as she was splattered in fresh blood, staring at Urbosa. She was bent over, with the scimitar imbedded into her stomach. Thunderblight pulled it back out, chuckling darkly as blood began pouring out of the Gerudo champion. Urbosa looked over at Rosalinora, smiling as the color drained from her face. She began falling, and Rosalinora caught her and immediately teleported to the hill, holding onto her sister.

"Worth it," Urbosa laughed as Rosalinora pulled her onto her lap. "Don't worry. I'll be fine. I'll look after you, vehvi." She stroked her sister's cheek, wiping blood away, smiled, closed her eyes, and was still. At the same time, she felt the earth tremble. She looked over at Vah Rudania as it shook and it's lights changed from blue to red.

"No... Daruk..." Rosalinora, in her desperation, teleported into the only divine beast with it's champion inside. "Daruk!" She screamed, feeling the madness and loss compress behind her eyes. She ran like a madwoman to the control module, where the scorched body of the ex-captain laid unresponsive. Fireblight turned to face her, and neither moved. She looked from it to Daruk, eyes wide with fear, then pulled whatever moisture she could out of the air. She pushed the small orb of water at the blight, making it encircle it's chest, then froze it and its arms in place as she grabbed her friend and got away.

She left the bodies of the champions on the hill, knowing that since they were dead, the rest of the kingdom was hardly a threat to the Calamity. In moments, she was before the completely-destroyed gates to Castle Town. "Link! Zelda!" She shouted into the chaos.

"Lina!" Link shouted back, only a few yards away through the smoke and embers. "What happened?"

"The Calamity claimed most of the champions," She replied, sprinting to join him. "You're all that's left. Where's the princess?"

"She's praying in a safe spot. Safe for the moment, at least."

They nodded at each other, another conversation passing through them wordlessly as they separated, attacking the hive-minded guardians. The earth shook again, and they turned back to each other. Wordlessly, they dashed towards the castle, Link leading the way. They met up with Zelda in the courtyard, and they all braced each other up as the ground shook beneath them again.

"Rosalinora...Link.... We are all that are left. We are Hyrule's last hope," The golden-haired princess declared. "The townspeople...the royal family...they can all do nothing. We must stop the Calamity, at all costs."

"But-" Rosalinora began to object, but stopped, looking around her. Somewhere in the town, children and their parents screamed, running in vain for their lives. Scorched bodies lay on the ground, holding on to others. Pools of dark malice were already forming as the true enemy approached. She looked at the borders of the castle walls, where the now-demonic beasts began walking away to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting regions.

"What is it, Lina?" Link asked, concerned for his friend and companion.

"How can we stop something this powerful?" She blinked back tears as the lump in her throat began to ache. "How can we save them when so many are already gone?"

"Lina, look at me." Link put a hand on her shoulder, bracing her as the ground cracked beneath them. "Look at what we have, not what we lack. You've done this before, even if you don't remember it. Even if your form has changed. My ancestors and Zelda's have defeated the Calamity before. Back then, we had less than we have now. We didn't have each other until the very end. Today, we have each other. We have had each other for years." He tilted his head, forcing her to look him in the eyes. "We have been preparing for this, whatever it is. Zelda and I will need your help. Your people need your help. Don't abandon us, Your Grace. Especially not now, when we need you the most."

Rosalinora sighed, chuckling as she wiped her tears. "Great goddesses, Link. Why do you always have to be so over-dramatic?"

"Did it work?" He smiled.

"No, I'm going back to the Zora's domain," She droned sarcastically, eliciting a laugh from both the princess and the knight. "Zelda, what's the plan?"

"When the actual Calamity appears, we hit it with everything we have. If that means using your power..." Zelda turned to her crimson-haired companion.

"Then so be it." Zelda nodded, then began turning towards the approaching monster. "Hey," Rosalinora said, getting Zelda's attention. "As your technical great-whatever aunt, I want you to know that you can have as much as I can offer in this incarnation. You have my full support."

"I...Thank you, Rosalinora." Zelda blinked hard, fighting to smile.

Link broke away from the girls, preparing himself as the swirling menace flew over them. "Whenever you're ready, your majesties."

"No need to be so formal, Link. We're all friends here." Rosalinora stated, putting a hand on her hip.

"Yeah, but not all of us are royalty. Or goddess-bloods." He looked back at her, swinging his sword as though training. They smiled at each other, and Rosalinora's mind was instantly transported to another time, in another place.

  
                                                                                  ………

Rosalinora, or Lina, as she was called back then, walked through the training grounds of the castle. She was technically supposed to be there for Mipha and Urbosa, as they were to be pronounced champions that day, but she could get bored so easily.

Her hand went to her engagement band, checking to make sure it was still in place. Her mother would kill her if she lost it, especially in a castle so far away from home as with so many men around who would take it.

She looked around at the sheer number of voes around her, all of them brandishing swords, spears, or bows, and practicing with whatever weapon they had. Not one of them had a weapon interesting enough to grab her attention. She sighed, sitting on a wall and fiddling with the ring on her finger.

"Hello, there, dear," One of the knights said, trying to get her attention. She didn't even look up as her hand went back to her engagement band, reassuring herself it was still there. "Hellooo," He crooned in a sing-song voice, then chuckled softly. "Guess you heard I love a chase."

She whipped her head towards him, her bright red ringlets slapping him in the face. "What in Hylia's name would make you think that I was here for you?" She sneered at him, disgusted. "Don't be so cocky, voe."

The smile left his eyes. "No need to be so touchy, darling. I'm only complimenting you."

Her sneer intensified. "Men like you are the reason you aren't allowed in Gerudo town. You're too full of yourself, assuming that women should fall at your feet, ready to give you anything you want."

The training yard went quiet, but neither of them noticed.

"You're adorable."

"I'm a goddess," She hissed dangerously, narrowing her emerald-colored eyes.

He laughed, an edge to his voice. "Is that one of the lies they tell you in 'Gerudo town'?" He mocked her tone in a falsetto, and the hand on her engagement band went to a small sheath on her waist.

"It's not a lie." Her voice dropped several tones, and a few of the other knights started towards her. A smaller, blond knight, Link, held them back, shaking his head at them. He slowly walked towards Lina, and got down on one knee.

"Your highness, no one would blame you if you hit him," Link said.

Lina's eyes darted from the man in front of her to the youth kneeling at her side, then quickly back to the man. He grabbed her arm, covering the engagement band. He held onto it, ruffling the delicate blue and silver feathers.

Her eyes went wide with rage, and she drew her fist back to punch him. He caught her hand, smirking. "Whatcha gonna do, your majesty?" A quiet rushing sound filled the air, then a wave washed over the castle wall from the moat. The water focused into a dull point, then pushed the man against a wall, away from Lina. The water then pooled beneath Lina's feet, then lifted her up.

"It's 'your grace', thank you very much."

The startled knight looked up at her as the sky went completely dark. "Who are you?"

"I am Rosalinora, daughter of Muvara of the Gerudo and Vakan of the Zora. I bring the rain and the darkness and the stillness that falls before you move on to the next life. And you," The water brought her down so she was at his eye-level, "Need to learn your place."

"You-You're just a child!"

"Then why were you treating me as a potential mate?" She smirked, tilting her head to the side, and his eyes went wide.

There was a hand on her shoulder, and she turned to face Link.

"Ok, Lina, you made your point. You can stop terrorizing him now," He stated.

She looked from him to the shocked knight, then the door burst open. Urbosa stormed into the courtyard, small bursts of lightning crackling around her.

"Uh-oh," Lina said quickly, using the water to push herself over the wall and out of the training yard.

Hours later, Link found her sitting on the edge of Hylia river, her legs crossed as she looked down at a pink lotus blossom in her hand.

"Hey," He said, sitting next to her.

"Hey," She replied, not even looking up from the flower in her hands. She slowly closed her hands around the delicate petals, then opened them again to reveal a soft lilac-colored bud. The flower gradually re-opened, and she repeated the ritual as Link watched.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Why?" She spoke slowly, calmly.

"You're doing that flower-breathing exercise again. You haven't done that since we met." He leaned back, looking at the twinkling stars as they appeared above the sunset.

"Not that you've seen. Especially since we haven't actually talked since we were children. You've been training to be a knight for an awfully long time, Link." She looked up at him. "How did you recognize me?"

"There aren't many half-race Gerudo princesses, especially not ones who are goddesses in mortal form." He looked over at her, smiling. "How did you recognize me?"

"Hateno accent. Also, only people who know me call me Lina." She smiled, too, looking back down at the flower.

"How long have you been engaged?"

"About six moons." She shook her head. "Sorry, about half a year."

"And where have you been staying?"

"With my mother. She's sending me off to Zora's domain in a week, so I can meet him."

"You don't know your fiancé?" Link asked, incredulous. "It's an arranged marriage? I thought you said you would get to choose your husband."

"Yeah, well..." She mused, sighing. The flower closed quickly, then slowly reopened as she took her next breath. "That was ten years ago. Besides, it's not like I've never met him. We were friends before, but I haven't talked to him since Mother decided to take me to the palace. She said it's to fulfill some sort of Gerudo prophesy or something."

"Which one?" Link inquired.

"'A goddess-blood princess of two races' heritage will rise from the sands to the west, and take for a husband the sky's heir and ruler. Her child shall surpass her and become the Champion's Champion, and help bring an end to the tragedy of an age.'" Lina sighed, closing the flower for good. "Whatever that means." She looked up at Link, who seemed awfully thoughtful. "Is Urbosa still mad?"

"Yes, but not at you. She had Eban thrown out of the castle. All the other knights vouched for you and apologized for him. She seemed pretty understanding," Link explained. "She's waiting for you to go back. They're keeping your dinner warm."

"Great goddesses, there's no need for them to do that. I'd just eat some bread and water if that's what they gave me." She leaned back, exasperatedly sighing again. She tossed the blossom into the river.

Link chuckled, looking at her. He shook his head, then looked at the ground, then back at her. "You're not an ordinary princess, are you?" When her only answer was a laugh, he stood, then held out a hand to help her up. "Let's go, everyone's waiting for you."

She took his hand, grinning. They both stood in the moonlight, smiling at each other. For years, that was Lina's fondest memory of Link. His smile.

                                                                                 ………

  
The battle had not gone well. Rosalinora had forced the rain to fall, making it more difficult for the six-legged, corrupted guardians to follow as Link led the princesses out of the castle and the surrounding town. Mud splattered on Zelda's pure white dress, Link's blue embroidered tunic, and Lina's sheikah-based armor. She stumbled, sprinting, then slid to a complete stop as Zelda fell to her knees. Link also stopped, looking back.

"How..." Princess Zelda began, and Link walked over to her, taking a knee. He looked up at Rosalinora, who looked around tensely, drawing an arrow from her quiver.

"How did it come to this?" Zelda continued, clenching her fists in the mud. "The divine beasts.... The guardians... They've all turned against us."

Thunder rumbled in the sky, causing Rosalinora to jump. She looked up, then back down at The distressed princess.

"It was...Calamity Ganon. It turned them all against us!" She slowly looked up at Link, tears forming in her aquamarine eyes. "And everyone- Mipha, Urbosa, Revali, and Daruk-... They're all trapped inside those things." Her voice dropped to a horrified whisper, and it was Rosalinora's turn to blink back tears as she knelt next to Zelda, placing an arm around her shoulders. The Hylians princess still had no idea as to what actually happened. "It's all my fault!" Zelda exclaimed, covering her face with her muddy hands. "Our hope for defeating Ganon is lost, all because I couldn't harness this cursed power!"

Link and Rosalinora looked up at each other. Link was stoic as always, while Rosalinora wiped the water away from her eyes.

"Everything..." Zelda sobbed. "Everything I've done up until now...It was all for nothing..." She looked up at Link so suddenly she threw Rosalinora off and into the mud. "So I really am just a failure!" She shouted, more tears welling. "All my friends...The entire kingdom..." Her voice dropped back down to a whisper. "My father most of all... I failed them all." A few tears finally fell. "I've left them..."

Rosalinora pulled her knees up to her chest as hid her own face, the lump in her throat swelling to an unbearable size. She couldn't cry...she had to stay strong for Zelda.

"...All to die...." Zelda finally finished, and the dam holding back her fears and anguish finally broke. She threw herself into Link's arms, wanting-needing- to be comforted.

Rosalinora subconsciously placed her hand over her marriage band, which was wrapped around her arm where her engagement band used to be. She could have used some comforting, too, but she understood the task at hand was more important than her own feelings. She looked up at Link, who was consoling Zelda as much as he could. He glanced over at Rosalinora, then held out his hand to her.

"Let's go. Everyone's waiting for us." Link smiled at Rosalinora, who chuckled softly before reaching out her own hand to take his. She got on her knees and semi-crawled over to the Princess and her Champion, hugging them both as the rain continued to pour.

"I still believe in you," Rosalinora empathized simply. "We can still turn this around. We can't give up. But for now..." She froze a bubble around them, to keep them dry. "It's alright to take a break. You've done all you can for now." She softly kissed Zelda's head comfortingly. "No one can blame you for not trying, your Grace." She looked up at Link.

He blinked, and Rosalinora reached up to wipe away a single drop that fell from his eye. She smiled at him. "You two should get some rest. It's been a long day."

"We could all use some rest," Link affirmed, and Zelda nodded.

Rosalinora pulled the water from the mud, drying the ground enough that it could be slept on comfortably, then slowed the rain. She pulled away from the Hylians and lay down, looking up at the clouded sky.

 _I wish you were here,_ She thought, referring to her husband. She closed her eyes, thinking back to when they had met for the first time in years, a smile spreading across her face.

  
                                                                                 ………

  
Lina sighed, wandering around the watery Zora's domain. It had been almost a month since Zelda held the ceremony making Link her official appointed knight, almost three weeks since she arrived in her uncle's kingdom. Not many Zora approved of her heritage, but the ones who actually knew her were unable to tell that she was much different than the others around her.

She made her way to the throne room, and sat down on the throne-like chair they had prepared for her.

She smiled up at her uncle, who was much older and larger than other Zora. He smiled back down at her, and a nearly-comfortable silence surrounded them as they listened to the distant rushes of the waterfall.

"Ah, there you are, Vakan," King Dorephan greeted, and Lina looked up, looking for her father.

"Here I am," The younger brother replied, flipping water from the fins on the side of his head. He smiled, revealing sharp, shark-like teeth, looking around for his daughter. She stood, waiting for him to acknowledge her, her hands crossed patiently in front of her.

"Ah, there you are," He said, walking over to her. "I didn't see you in the shadows." He smiled at her, and she couldn't help but smile back. They embraced, and he pulled back first, taking a good look at her. "You look so grown up. Have you been treated well? Has anyone bothered you?"

"No, Father. I'm fine." Her smile broadened. "There was an incident at the castle, but Urbosa and I handled it."

"Ah, I'm so glad to hear that. Not that there was an incident, but that you and your sister are alright. Your mother has done so much right by you and Urbosa. I feel like a poor father by comparison!" He laughed jovially.

The king cleared his throat, raising his eyebrows as Vakan looked up at him.

"Come now, brother, it's been years since I've seen my daughter. Surely you must feel the same way after even a month of being out of Mipha's presence," Vakan reasoned.

"There is a reason I asked you to visit the Gorons of Death Mountain," Dorephan urged.

"Yes, and I will speak of it with you after I finally get to speak with my daughter."

The two brothers glared at each other, and Lina looked down, uncomfortable with being the subject of an argument.

"Father...Uncle...perhaps you shouldn't be doing this when the Rito dignitaries will be arriving soon," She meekly mumbled.

"Ah, yes! Thank you for reminding me!" Dorephan exclaimed, then clapped his disproportionately small hands. "If only I had an heir like you. I'd have more peace of mind for when I pass."

"Well, we still don't know about the young Prince Sidon," Vakan stated, walking to his brother's side. "Perhaps he will be like Lina."

Lina looked over at the royal nursery, where the hatchling Prince was swimming in circles, almost as though chasing his fin. She smiled, then followed her father. He stood behind her chair as she sat down, and placed his hands on the top of the chair.

"Are you nervous?"

"Very." She looked up at her father, who smiled and nodded.

"That is completely normal. I would like to be able to empathize, but unfortunately, my situation was completely different." He gently pulled her hair back, away from her face, revealing the dark, smooth scales she got from her father that circled around her throat like a collar. He began braiding it with a nimbleness unexpected from webbed hands. "Would you like me to cover your caudal fin?"

"Sure." She looked straight ahead, but wanted so badly to look up at him for reassurance. "Tell me about how you and Mother met," She compromised.

"Alright, dear." He smiled faintly. "I was on one of my dignitary trips again, to a place I was certain that I would never survive; Gerudo desert. I was traveling with Mipha, my niece, who was only a littlefins back then. Your Uncle risked a lot in this trip, knowing how dry the desert can be, and knowing how quickly a Zora could die of dehydration. But he knew Mipha could take care of herself and others, even back then." He wound a few smaller braids around the base of her fin. "When we finally reached the gate, we were all exhausted from the heat. A day before, we had rested in the bazaar's pond, but it only reminded us of home,

"Mipha was crying, asking for her father, but there was no way to go back. We were so close. We asked for entrance, but the guards told us that only the women would be allowed. Besides Mipha, there were only two women in our group of twelve. I told them to take Mipha inside, to see if they had any water for her. The rest of us headed back to the bazaar, so as not to die of heat exhaustion."

He plucked a smaller lotus out of the water in front of the throne and tucked it into her hair.

"Hey," Dorephan said, disappointed.

"You've been trying to rid your throne of lotuses for years, brother. I'm only trying to help," Vakan reasoned, smiling absently. "Where was I?" He asked his daughter.

"The Bazaar," She reminded him, a smile on her face as well.

"Ah, yes, thank you. Well, we waited for the women to come back, and they didn't return for almost half a week. When they finally did, they brought with them half the town, which back then was much larger. At the head of the procession was a covered platform, almost like a tent, being held by six Gerudo guards. The two Zora women who went with me were sitting on top, wearing gold jewelry with inlaid opals and topaz studs, and sapphire bracelets. When they saw us, they immediately jumped down and ran over to us. A graceful hand with rings and a surprising amount of bracelets came out from behind the tent-covering, and the platform was lowered,

"I got out of the water and bowed as the Gerudo chief, your mother, stepped out, holding Mipha, who looked as though she had shed many tears on the way over. She asked if Mipha was my daughter, I said no, and the rest is history," Vakan finished quickly, hearing the sound of singing echoing on the cliffs around the domain.

Lina took a deep breath, sitting straight upright and stiffening. "Thank you for telling me again. You have a gift for storytelling."

"I would tell you a thousand times over if it would ease your tension," Vakan comforted softly, kissing the top of his daughter's head. "You look lovely."

"You're my father." Lina turned to him and smiled. "You're supposed to say that."

"Just remember; You two were friends once upon a time. You used to know him, and he probably hasn't changed much."

"Father, I haven't seen him since I lived in Hateno with Link and his family. That was ages ago."

Vakan sighed nostalgically. "I remember, dear. You three were inseparable."

Lina smiled, thinking back to that.

"There we go," Dorephan laughed. "One would think that you were going to a funeral by the look on your face."

Lina forced a smile, the color draining from her face. "Please excuse me for a moment," She said as the singing grew closer. She dived out of the throne room via the waterfall, careful not to let all the work her father did on her hair go to waste as she broke through the surface of the water.

Her mid-thigh length skirt billowed around her as she drifted to the bottom. She crossed her arms, embracing herself, taking deep breaths of the somewhat salty water. She kneeled on the river floor and looked up at a long-forgotten statue of a strong woman for an unclear amount of time. The currents ebbed around her hair and fins, which grew on her in the water. Before long, Mipha was beside her.

"Nora?" She asked, making audible vibrations in the water that only Zoras could make. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Lina replied, still looking up at the statue.

"Are you nervous?"

"Terribly."

Mipha swam over to her, then kneeled next to her. "He hasn't actually arrived. That was just part of his escort."

Lina was silent, still looking up at the statue.

Mipha, not wanting to be awkward, took a deep breath and continued, "He'll be arriving shortly. Father and Uncle would like you to surface soon. They believe it to be too cold down here for you."

Lina nodded, but didn't let her gaze stray.

"It appears that he is the nephew of the Rito champion, Revali. He was at the lead of the escort, and he said he wants to meet the 'strong girl from the castle and ceremony'."

Lina smiled faintly and fleetingly.

"Are you alright, Nora? You've barely said a word."

"I'm sorry, Mipha. I'm just...thinking. Wondering." Lina tilted her head to the side, still gazing up at the statue.

Mipha also turned her gaze to it. The statue had long, flowing hair, which hovered about her as though she really were adrift in the water. She wore a short, elegant-yet-combat-ready dress, which was also carved as though there was water surrounding her. A quiver hung at her waist, and a bow was slung across her back. She wore no sandals, but her hands and feet were webbed, and had slight carvings that indicated the presence of scales. On her brow was a delicately-carved circlet, with a teardrop gem in the center. She was in a pose that suggested that she was surveying the waters around her with an intensity Lina knew she could never accomplish. The statue was of a woman that didn't demand attention, but politely asked for and received it.

"What is it you wonder?" Mipha asked, transfixed by the statue as well.

"How did I do it?"

Mipha turned to her cousin, confused. "How did you do what?"

"The mind I have now- It will never be able to fathom that I have the power and abilities of a goddess. I will never be able to comprehend that I am going to be the woman that this statue portrays. I won't be able to see how she-...how I would always come back as a mortal, just to help get rid of the Great Calamity. I can't even remember being a goddess, let alone one reduced to this state; my only regular mortal companion...is myself. The only race to notice that I'm still around and powerful is the Gerudo." She finally looked down, drawing her knees up to her chest. "And even though I'm almost always surrounded by the Gerudo, who give me attention and affection, I just feel...lonely."

Mipha wrapped her arms around her cousin. "I'm sorry."

They both looked up towards the surface as more horns sounded.

"We should probably head back, before he actually arrives," Lina stated sensibly.

In unison, the girls kicked off the bottom, swimming up quickly and gracefully, then making their way up a waterfall. Mipha grabbed Lina's hand and pulled her behind a column.

"Fix yourself up, I'll tell you when he's here."

Lina nodded, then sat down, using her power to draw the water out of her hair, making it a little bit fluffier than when her father had put it up. She also drew the water out her her skirt and the sash wrapped around her stomach and chest.

"He's here," Mipha whispered nervously.

Immediately, Lina stood and went over, peeking out from behind the column. "Where?" She breathed, more nervous than before. She realized almost immediately how ridiculous the question was when she saw a brightly-hooded figure in the midst of the Rito. He was shorter than the rest, but still as tall as a Gerudo.

His hood looked as though it were made from feathers, and it covered his head and back, but not his front. Small feathers grew on his exposed upper-arms and slightly peaked feathers grew out from his shoulders. A brightly-colored cloth circlet with a plain-looking owl feather on it was wrapped around his arm. On his wrists, more feathers grew, almost like large bracelets. He looked around calmly, and Lina caught a glimpse of part of his face; a nearly beak-like nose and golden-yellow lips that looked like they had been sculpted by a master. Lina was certain that he was wearing some sort of makeup on his lips, because not even the Rito had that bright of a color on them.

She noticed that despite the chill, he was only wearing shorts and a traditional Rito wrap around his stomach.

He took a step forward, and Lina's heart dropped as he slipped and fell. A shocked hush fell across the two races as he lay in the water, silent. He turned over onto his back, covering his eyes with his arm. He snickered, grinning, then started laughing. Lina ducked behind the column again as he reached up for people to help him. She sank down, hiding her face behind her knees.

"Nora?" Mipha asked, confused.

"Great goddesses." She snickered, too. "Who is this guy?" She looked up, then back around the column as Revali helped him up, rolling his eyes.

"I told you to wear shoes, didn't I?" Revali asked rhetorically.

"Sorry, Uncle," The young man answered, still laughing. He ran his hand through his black hair, which was flecked with little, bright feathers. "I couldn't hear you over all your griping."

The other Rito stifled their laughter.

"Tch!" Revali made a sound of disbelief. "Roh! Behave yourself!"

The young man, Roh, rolled his eyes, pulling his hood back on. "Whatever you say, Uncle."

Revali scowled as Roh walked over to a random Zora child.

"Excuse me, sir, could you tell me where I can find King Dorephan?" Roh asked, and the Zora pointed towards the throne room. "Thank you very much." He smiled warmly, patting him on the head.

Lina blushed subconsciously. "Somebody aged fairly well," She muttered to Mipha, who laughed softly, still watching Roh.

"He is rather handsome."

"Yes, but you prefer the Hylian champion, don't you?" Lina teased, standing next to Mipha again.

"Nora!" Mipha gasped, elbowing her cousin. Lina laughed, and Roh looked over, smiling softly. Neither noticed him as he slowly made his way over, they were too busy shoving each other playfully and laughing.

The girls grabbed each others' arms, trying to shove the other down the way they would when they were children.

"Great goddesses above and below, Miph, you've gotten stronger, haven't you?" Lina asked, joking.

"I could say the same about you. Aunt Muvara had you in the guard, didn't she?"

"Only for a year." Lina smiled, then laughed as Mipha pushed her back. "No!" She pushed harder, but Mipha returned it with a hard shove. Lina fell backwards, and Roh caught her. Their eyes met for a while, and he smiled down at her. The smile reached his bright purple eyes, and Lina looked up at Mipha. "You planned this, didn't you?" She accused.

"Only a little," She admitted, smiling.

"Well, I know this isn't the throne room. What are you two princesses doing out here?" Roh asked, still smiling. He gently pushed Lina back onto her feet, giving her a little twirl so she could face him.

"I was nervous about meeting you, so I hid. Then I realized that my nerves were out of place, considering how...simple you seem." Lina held her head high, trying to be as much of a Gerudo princess as she could.

"Simple? Your majesty, you wound me," Roh responded, placing a hand over his heart, as though offended. However, his smile betrayed him. "So, you're not even giving me a chance?"

"Well..." Lina turned slightly, so as to look at him out of the corner of her eye slyly. "That depends entirely upon your behavior."

"I can behave. Honest, I can." His smile grew.

Revali approached them. "Ah, there she is!" He approached Lina, wrapping a wing around her. "Would you mind if I took you away for a bit? I'd like to talk."

"That's all he ever does," Roh whispered to Lina, and she giggled. She looked back at him and Mipha as Revali led her away, only to stifle more giggles as Roh rolled his eyes and made a talking motion, mockingly, with his hand. He smiled and winked at Lina, mouthing, "Good luck."

She smiled back, covering her mouth daintily to avoid laughing.

  
                                                                           ………

  
Rosalinora awoke, not aware that she had been sleeping, to the sound of an approaching Guardian. She leaped up, then shook the still-sleeping knight and Zelda awake. "Hurry! We need to get away from this place!"

They both immediately woke and stood. Link grabbed his sword and Zelda's hand. Zelda reached back and grabbed Rosalinora's.

"We need to stay together. We can't afford to lose each other," Zelda explained, and Rosalinora nodded, shattering the bubble outwards so as to end any enemies around them. Immediately, the trio began sprinting towards the Necluda region, already fairly close to the Dueling Peaks.

They passed the stable and between the two cliffs before Rosalinora saw a red glare from a target on her back. She let go of Zelda, jumping away from the group, drawing the Guardian away from them.

"Alright, big shot," She growled, drawing water from the river and freezing it into a short, pointed missile. "Let's see what you got."

The guardian's laser flashed faster as it prepared to shoot, and Lina crouched, her hands fidgeting in anticipation. Time seemed to slow down as the guardian's eye flashed blue, and Lina jumped several meters into the air, watching the blue laser fire at where she had been standing. The Guardian swiveled it's gaze to her, and she shot the icy projectile into it's eye, cleansing it of all traces of the Calamity and killing it instantly. It collapsed by the riverbed, completely still and colorless.

Rosalinora began sprinting again, catching up to Zelda and Link and taking the lead. "Hateno, right?" She turned around, reaching her hand back.

"If it hasn't been destroyed," Link replied, taking it. They nodded at each other, and the rain began pouring harder.

They only made it as far as Hateno Fort before they were completely surrounded by Guardians. Link and Rosalinora looked at each other, and nodded again. He drew his sword, releasing Zelda's hand. Rosalinora stood next to the princess, making another ice bubble around her and herself. Outside the bubble, she created a watery facsimile of herself to fight for her. She sat, placing some of her consciousness into the water shadow. Instantly, she began attacking alongside her friend, mutually protecting and defending each other and themselves.

"A thousand rupees to whoever kills fifteen first," Rosalinora wagered, her temporary form glowing with each word.

"You're on," Link agreed, smirking. Immediately, he killed one and ran to the next one. "That's three for me!"

"I've got five, you egg. Get on my level!" Rosalinora laughed, finishing off her own.

"You two, this isn't a contest," Zelda warned.

"You're right, it's not." Rosalinora ducked gracefully, spinning a little to get under a Guardian. Her right arm froze into a dangerous point. "It's a bet." She stabbed it deep into the Guardian's core, then made her form seep into the ground and away from the Guardian before it could crush her. She rose up again, moving on. "That's six." She looked over at Link, who was preoccupied with a Guardian of his own.

"That's hardly fair, Princess. You've got powers that I don't."

"Sucks to be you, doesn't it?" She grinned, then did a double-take, her smile dropping. "Link, look out!" She froze a bubble around him as quickly as she could, but only partially blocked him as a Guardian behind him blasted a laser. He flew back, towards Rosalinora and Zelda.

"Link!" Zelda screamed.

"Are you alright?" Rosalinora asked, still standing rather far away. He looked up at her, gasping from the pain and trying to push himself back up.

"Lina...move!" He forced out, getting to his feet. He began running towards her facsimile.

She looked up in time to see one of the six legs of a guardian poised over her head. Before she realized it, it was rushing at her face and then...darkness. Only disembodied sound and dizziness and pain.

There was a bright light, and Rosalinora opened her eyes to see Zelda with golden rays streaming from her hand. Rosalinora smiled faintly. "Thanks, sis. You finally came through for her." She shakily got to her feet, still more dizzy than she expected. She heard a thud, and a sobering, horrified gasp from Princess Zelda. Adrenaline kicked in, and her vision cleared enough to see Zelda rush to something laying on the ground.

"Link, hold on. You're going to be just fine!" Zelda comforted.

"No..." Rosalinora whispered, horrified, then ran over to him. She placed a hand on his chest, trying to summon her powers. "No, no, no, no, no, dammit, no!" She whispered fiercely as he coughed, looking at Zelda, then at Rosalinora. He looked as though he wanted to smile at them, try to make them feel better. Her emerald eyes met his sky-blue ones. "I'm so sorry," She whispered to him, and he reached out. His eyes closed suddenly, and Rosalinora felt his heart stop.

She fell back, going back into her security-pose, pulling her knees to her chest and hiding her face behind them. Her hand went to Link's as she tried blinking back her tears.

"The Master Sword?" Zelda asked herself through her own tears, and Rosalinora looked up.

"...Fi?" She asked under her breath, incredulously watching the legendary blade glow with an interior magic. She looked up at Zelda, who was watching the sword with a familiar intensity.

"So he can still be saved?" Zelda asked, much to Lina's surprise.

"Princess!" Shouted a man's voice, and both girls looked into the distance, where two Sheikah Warriors were approaching from. "Are you alright?"

"Take Link to the Shrine of Resurrection immediately. If you don't, we'll lose him forever," Princess Zelda commanded, then turned to Rosalinora. "Go with them, they'll need you."

"Your Grace-"

"I'm sorry, Rosa. There's no time to argue. Please go, because I cannot." She turned back to the Warriors. "Do you understand? Then go." She looked at Rosalinora. "Do everything you can, make sure nothing happens to him."

"Yes, your Grace." Rosalinora nodded, and gently lifted Link from Zelda's arms. The sword fell from his limp hands, and Rosalinora drew some water out of the air, wiping the blood from his face until he looked like he was just asleep. "Alright. Let's go." She turned around, and the warriors put their hands on her shoulders. One of them pulled out their Sheikah slate, then teleported. As they did, Rosalinora looked back at Zelda, a few tears racing down her cheek.

  
                                                                                    ………

Nearly a year later, Rosalinora lay in bed on her side, worn and weary. Her child, a beautiful little girl, had been born, and she was glad, but bringing one life could not help her get over her guilt. She felt responsible, she wasn't there in time to save them. And to make matters worse....

Several weeks before, she had gotten into a fight with a legion of monsters. She was unused to fighting without Link. She was doing well before she tired of it, and she took a hit. Without Mipha to heal her, and the Shrine of Resurrection already in use, the royal Physician said he had done all he could. Even with Roh, the embodiment of health and life, constantly by her side, she could not get better.

"I guess we're just too much the opposite of each other," He joked, but his smile was fleeting. He sighed, holding her hand and resting his chin on the bed. "Can you try to heal yourself?"

"I'm sorry, I wish I could."

The sound of laughter coming from the nursery caught their attention, and Rosalinora laboriously raised herself up to face the children. The young Prince Sidon was splashing water at dark-haired Revora, who was crouching beside the water, picking up shells and giggling.

Rosalinora smiled. "She's so beautiful."

The tiny toddler had Urbosa's blue skirt wrapped around her waist, and Mipha's scarf around her chest. Her lower back was exposed, showing the iridescent blue scales she inherited from her mother, and if her shoulders had been showing, one would have been able to see the feathers she received from her father. Unexpectedly, she fell into the water.

She surfaced, shivering from the cold, yet still laughing. She splashed Sidon, using the water to push her away from him. She climbed out of the pool, clapping.

"Do you think she'll be able to fly, too?" Roh asked, rubbing the top of his wife's hand with his thumb.

"I hope so. Just imagine her, up there in the clouds." She looked at him, smiling. He wiped a tear, trying to smile. "Roh...."

"I know, I'm sorry. I'm trying not to." He kissed her hand.

She brought her thumb up to wipe his tears. "Hey, it's alright. You can cry if you need to."

The floodgate broke, and he buried his face on the bed to hide the tears. "It's only been two years," He sobbed, and she embraced him.

"Mama?" Revora asked, suddenly frightened. "Dada?" She ran into the bedroom, using water to push herself up onto the bed. "Dada?" She asked, crawling over to him. She kissed his head, then began playing with the feathers peeking out from beneath his hair. He peeked up.

"Hello, darling," He crooned. "Whatcha go over there?" He pointed to the snail shell she had placed on the side of the bed, and she brightened, picking it up.

"Swirly!" She exclaimed, holding it out for him to see.

Rosalinora laughed, then sat up and scooped her squealy daughter, smothering her with kisses.

"Noooo, stoppp!" She giggled, dropping the shell, and Rosalinora pulled back. "Love you, mama," Revora said softly, smiling, then ran back to Sidon, splashing her hands in the water and shrieking with glee.

"She is very pretty," Roh agreed.

"And she'll grow up to be a beautiful warrior." Rosalinora sighed. "But for now...This is more than enough." She turned away from her daughter, to watch the sun set.

**Author's Note:**

> Ok so I was thinking about making a sequel. If this is good enough, and enough people like it, maybe I will make a sequel starring Revora.


End file.
